A single stone arch, about forty metres wide, crosses the Aoos river just outside Konitsa, and it is one of the finest bridges in the Balkans. It dates from 1823, in the last Ottoman decades of Epirus, and for two centuries it has stood over a green river with high mountains beyond. The bridge looks fragile, but it has survived floods, wars and earthquakes, and in the summer, local youths dive from its parapet into the cool water, a tradition more frightening to watch than to do.
The town stands at the junction of the Aoos and Voidomatis valleys, a few kilometres from the Albanian border, in a green basin ringed by mountains. Above it rises Smolikas, at 2,637 metres the second-highest mountain in Greece after Olympus, and one of the least visited. Its slopes are covered in beech and fir, with an alpine lake, Drakolimni, or Dragon Lake, near the summit, home to a rare species of alpine newt. A second ridge, Gamila, stands to the north-east, with its jagged limestone peaks. This is a landscape of dramatic scale and sharp light.
Konitsa itself is a working town, with a main square, a few cafés and tavernas, and small hotels that cater to rafters, hikers and the occasional motorcyclist. The Aoos is a popular river for rafting and canoeing in spring, when snowmelt swells the flow. Local cuisine features lamb, goat, trout and cheeses, and the pies of Epirus, thin pastry layered with greens, leeks or cheese, are a highlight.
Riding to Konitsa from Ioannina takes you along the Aoos valley, with a good surface and long, flowing curves, and the views of the mountains grow with every kilometre. The road is quiet, though trucks from the border may slow progress. Beyond the town, a narrow road climbs toward the mountain villages of Smolikas, such as Pades and Palaioseli, where the asphalt can be rough and the bends tight. Weather in the Pindus can be unpredictable, with sudden thunderstorms in summer and heavy snow in winter, so check conditions before you set out. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, and the autumn colours are particularly fine.
Konitsa has fuel stations, supermarkets, banks and pharmacies, and is the best place for services before heading into the mountains. Ioannina, about forty kilometres to the south, is the nearest large city. A coffee in the square and a walk to the bridge in the evening, when the stone glows in the last light, is a pleasant way to finish the day.